Govt 'failing' exploited disabled workers

The Government has persistently failed to tackle the exploitation of workers with disabilities, a conference in Dublin heard today.

Donal Toolan, director of the Forum of People with Disabilities, said some workers with disabilities are being paid as little as €5 per week for doing work such as inserting leaflets in mail shots or making cardboard boxes.

Mr Toolan was speaking at a conference in Croke Park hosted by the Forum and Dessa (the Disability Equality Specialist Support Agency).

"The exploitation of workers in these sheltered workshops has gone on for far too long. It is a situation that has been acknowledged for several years, but there has been an extraordinary lack of will from those in a position to take meaningful action, such as the Government," he said.

"It's worth pointing out that major concerns have been expressed about the legal implications of arrangements whereby profitable workshops, being staffed by people with disabilities, are being paid rates far below the minimum wage," he added.

Mr Toolan said a review of the workshops by the Health Service Executive was under way the HSE.

He welcomed this move and confirmation, earlier this year, by the Equality Authority that it is investigating alleged breaches of the Employment Equality Act in the sheltered workshops

Arthur O'Reilly, former director of the National Disability Authority, told the conference that as far back as 1996 there had been a call for the protection of workers in sheltered workshops.

"While many of the recommendations of the Commission on the Status of People with Disabilities, issued in 1996, have been implemented, others have not, eleven years on."